Cuomo’s Democratic Party Spending on Senate Takeover
Two years ago, Justin Wagner was mounting a spirited challenge to state Sen. Greg Ball, a Republican representing the lower Hudson Valley. Senate Democrats considered investing heavily in Wagner's candidacy, but with limited cash and a sizeable debt they instead put the money behind Cecilia Tkaczyk, a little-known farmer and local school board member who was running a promising campaign in another Senate district further up the Hudson.
While Tkaczyk would go on to eke out a victory by just 18 votes, Wagner ultimately was outspent 3-to-1 and lost to Ball with an agonizingly close 49 percent of the vote.
This year Wagner is running again, and he is banking on having more resources—if not a more favorable outcome this November—thanks in large part to a high-profile coalition including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the New York State Democratic Committee, the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and several organized labor groups. And while some observers were skeptical that Cuomo would push aggressively for a Democratic takeover—which he pledged to do while securing the Working Families Party line—there is some evidence that he is following through.
“Both the DSCC and the state party have been incredibly supportive,” said Wagner, who is now running against Yorktown Councilman Terrence Murphy for Ball's seat. “This race was the narrowest Democratic loss in 2012 when I ran against an incumbent. Right now it’s an open seat, and it has a Democratic enrollment advantage, so we’re really primed for victory here. And so their support has been humbling, and I think it validates what people in the district want, and that’s trying something new in Albany."
In the latest campaign finance filing period, Cuomo transferred $2.52 million from his $27.3 million campaign war chest to the New York State Democratic Committee, in addition to $3.5 million transferred in the previous filing period. However, as of this weekend the party committee’s latest campaign filing had not been posted online, so it is unclear what exactly was spent on behalf of any Senate candidates.
But the state Democratic Committee, which Cuomo controls, has been spending significantly on campaign materials for Democratic Senate candidates, sources say, and all of the parties in the coalition—including consultants and aides for Cuomo and the state party—have been collaborating on strategy, meeting once a week and staying in contact by phone or email even more frequently.
“It’s a tremendous show of unity, the likes of which we’ve never seen,” said state Sen. Michael Gianaris, who heads the DSCC. “And we’ve managed to expand the pot by getting so many people involved. There are several million dollars that DSCC is raising, and then the labor folks and the state party—and through the campaigns directly and the various other mechanisms—are raising multiples of seven figures on top of that."
Gianaris said that the coalition still aims to hit a $10 million target raised collectively to help Democrats seize control of the Senate, with about $5 million raised by the DSCC and individual candidates and a similar amount coming from the other members of the coalition. The DSCC currently has $1.46 million on hand, while the Senate Republican Campaign Committee has $2.87 million.
“We’re in the habit of getting vastly outspent,” Gianaris said. “This is the first time that we’ll be at parity. I don’t know what they’re spending on the other side, but we’ll certainly be in the ballpark."
As for Wagner, the state Democratic Party has already sent a number of mailers on his behalf, and the coalition made a substantial TV buy. Compared to 2012, Wagner said, it’s like night and day in terms of the outside support. (A mailer from the New York State Democratic Committee is posted below.)
“As someone who went through both cycles, I can attest to that,” Wagner said. “There certainly is a stronger coalition involved, leaders at all levels, friends in the labor movement, all in to try to change this culture in Albany and find something new in the state Senate.”
Adam Haber, another Democratic Senate candidate, also has enjoyed the benefits of the new coalition. Haber, who lagged Republican state Sen. Jack Martins in a recent poll, has been able to rely on self-funding to boost his campaign on Long Island. But the state Democratic Party is also helping out with mailers and the DSCC has worked with his campaign on television ads, including a new 30-second one out Monday that attacks Martins on the Women’s Equality Act (link below).
"It's been gratifying to have a widespread coalition of support from environmental advocates to women's groups, including the Senate Democrats and the State Party,” Haber said in a statement.
The DSCC has also helped by sending out more than a dozen mailers so far for other Senate candidates, including Tkaczyk, who faces a rematch against former assemblyman George Amedore (see mailer below).
But will Cuomo have the time—or the inclination—to make appearances with the candidates, especially in tight races? His campaign has said he will, but some candidates insist they are already happy with the assistance they've received so far.
“We are working closely with the governor’s staff, and we appreciate all they’re doing through the state party,” Wagner said. “He has his own race, so I don’t have a date of any appearance, but we are humbled by all that he and his team are already doing for us. Quite frankly, he positioned the party to be one that is very popular through leadership, so having him at the top of the ticket is going to be a real boon for me and other Democrats throughout the state."
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